FIFA considers World Cup expansion to 64 teams amid opposition

FIFA is exploring the possibility of increasing the World Cup to 64 teams, a move championed by the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) and publicly supported by FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

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It is important to prepare the World Cup for the whole world – not just for Europe and South America, but actually for the whole world.

Infantino confirmed that FIFA's relevant bodies will examine the expansion proposal after the conclusion of the current World Cup. He emphasized the importance of inclusivity, stating that the tournament should be prepared for the entire world, not just Europe and South America, allowing every nation a chance to dream of participating.

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Every country should have the opportunity to dream of participating in the World Cup.

The idea of expanding the tournament has gained traction, with CONMEBOL submitting a formal proposal for 64 teams in 2025. This follows the 2017 decision to expand the tournament to 48 teams, which is being implemented in the current World Cup. Infantino highlighted the current 48-team format as a success, noting the high level of play and the increased motivation for smaller nations.

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If you don't give smaller countries the opportunity to participate in the World Cup, they will lack the motivation to improve further.

However, the proposed expansion faces significant opposition. UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin has previously called it a "bad idea" for both the World Cup and European qualifiers. Leaders from the Asian Football Confederation and the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football also expressed their disagreement.

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This is a bad idea for the World Cup and for European qualifiers.